Rust production wanted to fire ‘difficult to work with’ armourer before Alec Baldwin shooting
“Rust” first assistant director David Halls testified during the trial, and choked up when he recalled the shooting of Halyna Hutchins
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“Rust” prop master Sarah Zachry testified during the trial and admitted to a defence attorney that she had previously voiced a desire to both fire Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and — after the shooting of Halyna Hutchins — see her sent to prison.
After the cross-exam, Ms Zachry told the prosection that the armourer was not easy to work with and confirmed that Gutierrez-Reed had called her a “c***,” which the prosecution argued is likely why Ms Zachry wanted to fire her.
Gutierrez-Reed is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the fatal shooting of Ms Hutchins. Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the shooting. His trial will begin on 9 July.
The prosecution seeks to prove that Gutierrez-Reed was negligent in her duties on set and that proper protocol was in place during the investigation of the shooting. The state claims the armourer was “sloppy” and had left guns unattended on the set.
Gutierrez-Reed is also facing an evidence tampering charge for allegedly asking a friend to hide cocaine for her while police were investigating the shooting.
Gutierrez-Reed faces up to three years in prison if she is convicted.
‘Rust' trial recesses for lunch
The involuntary manslaughter trial of “Rust” armourer Hanna Gutierez-Reed has taken an hour lunch break.
Court will readjourn around 2:45pm EST, 12:45pm local time.
Court resumes, defence cross-examines Lucien Haag
Court has resumed after a lunch break.
The defence is now cross-exmaining Lucien Haag, a firearms expert who examined the Colt 45 replica that was used in the shooting of Halyna Hutchins.
Firearms expert says ‘Baldwin revolver’ could only have fired if trigger pulled or ‘depressed'
During his cross-examination, firearms expert Lucien Haag told the court that the “Baldwin revolver” — the name the prosecution is using to describe the replica Colt 45 that was used in the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins — could only have fired if the trigger was pulled or “depressed.”
He differentiated the two, noting that if the gun was drawn with the trigger depressed and the hammer retracted, it would have fire the moment the hammer was released.
Alec Baldwin has insisted he did not pull the trigger on the day Ms Hutchins was shot.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective says no one she talked to agreed with defence attorney’s ‘sabotage’ theory
The state has called Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office detective Alexandria Hancock.
She discussed having conversations with numerous people associated with the “Rust” shooting, including Thell Reed, the armourer father of Hannah Guttierez-Reed.
She also said that of all the people she talked with since 2021, she never found anyone corroborating defence attorney Jason Bowles theory that someone “sabotaged” Guttierez-Reed by bringing live ammuniton to the set.
‘I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** my whole entire career’
A video taken from the bodycamera footage of Santa Fe County Sheriff’s detective Alexandria Hancock was played in court. The footage shows Ms Hancock escorting Gutierrez-Reed to the bathroom on the day Halyna Hutchins was shot.
“Welcome to the worst day of my life,” Gutierrez-Reed says as the two walk toward the bathroom.
She later says “I can’t believe Alec Baldwin was holding the gun, that’s so f*****,” Gutierrez-Reed says.
She also asks to be moved to another car to avoid being seen by her coworkers.
“I just want to get the f*** out of here and never show my face in this industry again,” she says.
When Ms Hancock asks her what about her background, she says she’s new to the industry but fears she’s ruined her career.
“I’m like the only female armourer in the game and I just f***** up my entire career,” she says.
Gutierrez-Reed explains ammo ‘fanny pack’ in investigation footage
Footage taken of the initial questioning of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of the film “Rust,” shows her explaining the fanny pack she used to seperate ammunition she used on set.
She said the fanny pack had smaller compartments that she would use to seperate blanks with differing levels of “load” in them.
Essentially, blanks with more significant loads produce different effects and are appropriate for use in different shooting cicumstances.
The state is arguing that somehow a live round ended up in the revolver used in the killing of Halyna Hutchins.
Gutierrez-Reed says she ‘hates herself’ because Alec Baldwin was in the church when the shooting happened
Footage taken of the initial questioning of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer on the set of the film “Rust,” shows her saying that she “hates herself” because Alec Baldwin was inside the church when the shooting of Halyna Hutchins occurred.
She also described the chaos in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. She thought a “popper” — essentially a tiny explosive used in making movies — went off until she heard the calls for medical assistance.
Gutierrez-Reed said that other crewmembers “yelled” at her and then handed her the gun to check. She then said she looked at the revolver and thought that somehow a dummy round discharged. Ms Hutchins was shot with a live round.
‘Sloppy’ armourer or ‘easy target’: Key moments so far from Rust shooting trial
The subsequent investigation into the shooting resulted in both Alec Baldwin and the production’s armourerHannah Gutierez-Reed facing involuntary manslaughter charges.
Ms Gutierrez-Reed’s trial began in mid-February. She has pleaded not guilty to two charges of involuntary manslaughter and a charge of tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors have accused Ms Gutierez-Reed – who in her role was in charge of maintaining the safety and functionality of firearms on the movie set – was negligent on set, that she brought live rounds to the production, one of which was the bullet that killed Hutchins.
Here are the key revelations from the trial – so far:
‘Sloppy’ armourer or ‘easy target’: Key moments so far from Rust shooting trial
The state called Gutierez-Reed ‘sloppy’ and ‘unprofessional’ while defence described her as an ‘easy target’. Graig Graziosi reports on the key moments in the trial so far
Court recesses for afternoon break
The court has recessed for its afternoon break.
Prior to the break, the court heard testimony from Santa Fe Sheriff’s Detective Alexandria Hancock and viewed footage of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed taken from her bodycamera and from her initial quesitoning by investigators.
After the break Ms Hancock will continue her testimony and more video footage will be shown.
Court watches police interview of Ms Gutierrez-Reed
The court is watching footage of a police interview given by Ms Gutierrez-Reed.
In the video, Ms Gutierrez-Reed can be heard describing to investigators details of the dummy bullets she brought to set.
She was hired to work both as armourer and props assistant, she said.